forgot

Forgot is the simple past tense of the verb forget, meaning to fail to remember something or to fail to recall. It is used to describe a past event of memory loss, as in "I forgot the meeting," or to describe failing to perform an action because one did not remember, as in "I forgot to call." The phrase forget about can mean to stop considering something or to disregard it.

Etymology and cognates: forgot derives from Old English forgietan, from the Germanic language family. Cognates include German vergessen and Dutch vergeten, reflecting shared Germanic roots for the concept of memory loss.

Usage and grammar: forget is an irregular verb. It forms the past tense as forgot and the past participle as forgotten. In standard modern English, the past perfect uses "had forgotten" (not "had forgot"). However, some older texts or casual speech may use "forgot" as a past participle in nonstandard forms.

Common patterns include:

- Simple past: I forgot your birthday.

- Past tense with infinitive: I forgot to mail the letter.

- Forget about: Let’s forget about the disagreement.

- Opposite concept: remember, recall.

Frequency and care: forget is widely used in everyday language and literature to discuss memory, neglect, or lapse in attention. It often carries nuance about lapse, human forgetfulness, or the impact of an unremembered detail on plans or emotions.

See also: memory, amnesia, remember.